Any word on next gen Nikon Monarch??

[brianidaho]

I just bought a Buckmaster 4.5-14 MD today, partially due to all the good things I read about them here. I think the Monarch optics are even nicer, and, even though the specs don't indicate it, to me the FOV seems bigger. I couldn't justify the extra $100 for the Monarch, at least in part due to the lack of side focus, more limited internal adjustment (40 MOA vs 50 IIRC) and lack of mil-dot on the one I wanted (5.5 x 16). Anyway, given the job Nikon did with the Buckmaster last year, are there any rumours floating around about a redesign on the Monarch? If they add the features of the current Buckmaster to the Monarch optics and keep the price similar, it ought to really put the squeeze on some of the more expensive brands out there.

Bri

 

[Ian M]

Soon /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[fourinone]

I'd be real surprised if it happens in 2006. Until then the Monarch series is still a higher quality scope than the Buckmaster series. The parallax will adjust out in the front as well as the side. But the glass is where the real difference is in any high quality scope. The Monarch has "fully" multi-coated lens @ 95% light transmission where as the Buckmasters are just multi-coated & 92% light transmission. I think that just one hundred dollars is worth the difference because of the lens. The Monarch also has one piece tube. I'd put the Monarch up with the standard Leupold VX-III, Note: The-"Non Long Range VX-III"
Anyway when the Monarch is redesigned...I think the new one will be a little more than just a side focus change.